Apparatus for charging retorts.



m, 7IB,20L Patented Dc. I6, 1902. .1. uaanouwan.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BETORTS.

(Application filed May 22, 1902.)

(Np Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

A 1 V INVEW. vvrmssses 534/ v BY,

TH: uunms PETERS co. Pnmoumm WASHINGTON. mv c.

- Pzitented Dec. 16, I902 K .1. DE BRUUWER.

APPARATUS FOR cmmsme RETORTS. I 1 Application filed May 22, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

in I WIp INVENTOR WITNESSES 04 tab YW :No.7l6,20l. Patented Dec: 5,1902.

J. DE anouwan.

\ APPARATUS FOR CHARGING RETORTS. (Application filed May 23, 1902.

(No Model.) 3 Shgets-$heet 3.

INVENTOR WITNESSES, be, M

:1 2% L fmwmaMv/wflq THE "cams Perms 60. PHU'TO U\HO., WASHINGTON a c To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DE BROUWER director of gas-works, a subject of the King of Belgium, and a resident of 24 Rue dOstende,"

NI ED STATES JOSEPH'DE BROUWER,

? PATENT CE'.

OF BRUGES, BELGIUM.

APPARATL JSTOR CHARGING RETORTS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,201, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed May 22, 1902.

Bruges, in the Kingdom of Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements j in Apparatus for Charging Retorts in the Manufacture of Gas, of which the following is a specification. V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is plication. Figs.',2 and .3 areresp ectively a longitudinal section and a transverse section; on an enlarged scale, of theprincipal feature I 1 of the invention.

The object of this-invention is to provide a simple and efficient apparatus for mechan ically charging gas-retorts, the problem to be solved being that of receiving granular coalfine, dry, or wet-and of throwing it into the retorts, giving to it a speed and a direction determined withoutdispersing it or crumw.

bling it. p

Referring then to Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings, which shows the apparatus, such as it will be employed in practice, that is to say, mounted on a carriage r. It is connected to an electromotor c, and at u is shown a chute by which the coal will be conducted to the projecting apparatus. The projector a, mounted on a carriage, is suspended at]; by means of I chains, which attach it to any.kind of appliance capable of being raised and lowered at will. The chute or inclined plane for conducting the coal can also serve to measure it, the coal being conducted to the projecting apparatus only when the attendant shall open an admission-valve. (This detail is cited without beingshown in the drawings simply to avoid confusion. The projecting apparatus should not conduct the coal.) The electromotor c actuates the pulley d, placed behind the projecting apparatus. The movement of the apparatus is a continuous rotary movement. The pulley (1 gives movement to the whole apparatus.

The line 6 indicates the position of a screen thatis placed between the apparatus and the retort, so asto intercept the heat coming from the furnace. This screen has naturally an together by transverse plates.

frame takes in plan view a form similar to that of the body of a small carriage or victoria.) It serves to support the axles and the bearings of the pulleys.

a side elevation of the apparatus, which constitntes the subject-matter of the present ap-.

Serial in. 103,549. (No model.)

opening at the place through which the coal projected by the apparatus will pass.

The projecting apparatus consists of a frame a, constructed, by preference, of sheet-iron. It'is formed with two parallel faces connected (The said At the point b, situated toward the center .ofgravity of theapparatus, the frame is suspended at each side on a trunnion and by tipping movement which is given to the frame of the apparatus. This tipping will be given to the apparatus by means of a lever f, Fig. 1, by the attendant, as will be explained hereinafter. should not exceed a few degrees. serve to modify (raise or lower) the trajectory of the coal thrown by the projector in order to go more or less high or more or less far.

On the pulleys d g h is mounted an endless apron or belt. One of these pulleys will serve to stretch the apron or belt by means of the tightening-screws with which its bearings are provided, as is well understood. As has already been said, the pulley placed behind receives and transmits the necessary movement to the apparatus. The third of these pulleys h is placed in proximity to the face of the pulleyp without touching it; on the contrary, leaving a space between the point where the apron or belt 0 will leave it and the point m where the said belt will be in contact with the pulley p. The large pulley p, the role of which is of the greatest importance in this invention, is placed outside the path of the belt; but it modifies this path by depressing the belt between the points 'm, n distant about a quarter of a circle the one from the other. The belt drives the pulley by friction of contact.

The amount of this movement It will The pulley p in question presents the following essential characteristics: (a) It is hollowed out or grooved a certain depth (having regard to the size of the materials to be projected) in the middle of its face. (See Fig. 3.) (b) On each side of this hollow or groove the pulley is formed with a broad rim or band slightly curved like an ordinary pulley. I The size of this band is unimportant so'long as it suffices to produce the necessary friction on the belt or apron. It will be seen that the hollow or groove of the pulleyp will form in contact with the belt or apron a chamber closed laterally from the point mto the point it, thus forming a long space bent to an arc of a circle. (0) As shown in the drawings, Figs. 2 and 3, the hollow or groove of the pulley is provided with a kind of carpet formed from lissome strips or tongues say of fabric or, better still, of leather i-the action of which is as follows: The rotation of the pulleypwill cause these strips or tongues to extend and will give them a certain stiffness. The coal falling into the apparatus will come into contact with the hard walls of the pulley-groove and with the belt or apron and also with these strips or tongues. The contact with the hard Walls will tend to produce the eifects of throwing back or ricochet to the coal; but as against this the strips will yield place to the coal, at the same time ofiering a certain resistance, which operates to stifle the throwing back or ricochets produced, and from that time the effect of the centrifugal force alone will lodge and fix the coal immovably on the belt or apron, which will carry it on toward the point h. The working of the apparatus is as follows: The attendant placing himself on the carriaget will start the apparatus with one hand. by the lever f. He will also open the admissionvalve for coal, which will then slide into the chute u and will fall into the hollow or groove of the Wheel 10. The passage through the chamber formed as above described between the hollow or groove of the wheel 10 and the apron 0 will be effected instantly by the rapid movement of the said apron, and the coal will be projected by its inertia toward and into the retort, while the apron will turn back on the pulley d. The attendant will follow with his eyes the movement of the coal and the charging of the retort, varying the trajectory of the coal according to requirements and notably according as to whether the coal should be thrown to the back or only to the front portion of theretort. The same attend-- of the moment, according to the character of the retorts or according to the quantity of coal that it might be desired to charge into the retort, (according to the temperature of this latter.)

It may be remarked that if in order to put the projecting apparatus in work it is preferred to employ any other motive power than that of electricity the details of the present construction would be varied more or less. These variations are not shown, as they refer only to accessories, which have no direct relation with the present invention.

The speed that it will be convenient to give to the projector will vary naturally considerably according to the requirements of the work to be done and above all the distance to which the coal should be thrown, although the speed generally should be always rapidthat is to say, according to experience, should attain a lineal speed of about six hundred and fifty meters per minute in order to charge a retort three meters long.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. The projecting apparatus herein shown and described, and consisting essentially of a pulley with a deep hollow or groove in combination with and driven by or driving an endless belt or apron.

2. In a projecting apparatus for charging coal into retorts, the combination with a pulley having a deep groove in its face, of strips oflissome material, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A projecting apparatus for charging coal into retorts, comprising an oscillating frame, a rotary projector mounted in the frame and means for oscillating the frame.

4. A projecting apparatus for charging coal into retorts, comprising a rotary projector, an endless belt, a frame carrying them, said frame being adapted to be oscillated to vary the trajectory of the projected coal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH DE BROUWER.

Witnesses GUSTAVE PIERRY, GREGORY PHELAN. 

